Word Of Mouth (WOM) – Building the future of the informal economy today

In South Africa, where 34.9% of the population is unemployed and informal settlements witness 70% of disposable income leaving, economic challenges loom large, particularly for youth, of whom 43.8% are unemployed. The formal economy's failure to engage young South Africans often drives them to the informal sector, exacerbating their marginalisation. Word of Mouth (WOM) aims to address this disparity through a marketplace. BCA conducted a behavioural audit and qualitative research to analyse WOM's partner needs, uncovering reasons for drop-off and barriers to entry. BCA's development of five behavioural personas offers insights into partner success predictors and identifies challenges aligned with WOM's business goals.